dare say he was glad to get off so easily.' With affected
nonchalance: 'I'm pretty badly rumpled, I see. He fell against me,
and a scuffle like that doesn't improve one's appearance.'

MRS. ROBERTS, very solemnly: 'Edward! I don't know what to say!
Of course it makes my blood run cold to realise what you have been
through, and to think what might have happened; but I think you
behaved splendidly. Why, I never heard of such perfect heroism!
You needn't tell ME that he made no resistance. There was a deadly
struggle--your necktie and everything about you shows it. And you
needn't think there was only one of them--'

ROBERTS, modestly: 'I don't believe there was more.'

MRS. ROBERTS: 'Nonsense! There are ALWAYS two! I've read the
accounts of those garottings. And to think you not only got out of
their clutches alive, but got your property back--Willis's watch!
Oh, what WILL Willis say? But I know how proud of you he'll be.
Oh, I wish I could scream it from the house-tops. Why didn't you
call the police?'

ROBERTS: 'I didn't think--I hadn't time to think.'

MRS. ROBERTS: 'No matter. I'm glad you have ALL the glory of it.
I don't believe you half realise what you've been through now. And
perhaps this was the robbers' first attempt, and it will be a lesson
to them. Oh yes! I'm glad you let them escape, Edward. They may
have families. If every one behaved as you've done, there would
soon be an end of garotting. But, oh! I can't bear to think of the
danger you've run. And I want you to promise me never, never to